Meatloaf with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

When I was a kid - I was weirded out by meatloaf.  There was really no rational explanation for my aversion to meatloaf really.  I loved balls of meat on top of my spaghetti.  I loved round patties of beef cooked on a grill, put between a bun and smothered in ketchup.  I even loved meat in my tacos and bowls of steaming hot chili but for some reason, eating meat sliced from a loaf just seemed strange.  And just to be clear - I'm absolutely sure that my mom served us perfectly delicious, moist and flavorful meatloaf.  Just proof that my childhood food preferences were illogical to say the least.  

Luckily, I outgrew my dislike for meat in loaf form.  I mean, I'm not jumping on the Spam bandwagon anytime soon but I do enjoy a slice of turkey meatloaf every now and then.  And even though I prefer turkey to beef, my family still likes a traditional beef loaf smothered in a ketchup glaze.  When my kids were small, they had some really strange food hang ups but one thing that they always agreed on was meatloaf.  It was one of a very short list of meals that I could serve and be sure that it would get gobbled up without any complaints.  

This meatloaf recipe with roasted sweet potatoes is cooked in one pan and you know what that means - less dishes to clean up.  👏🏻  Adding milk and an egg to the beef mixture really keeps the lean beef moist and so you end up with a super flavorful and delicious meatloaf.  If you're a fan of meatloaf - this recipe is definitely worth a try.  Oh, and the roasted sweet potatoes in lemon and parsley are to die for.  Seriously delicious.  

Meatloaf with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
35 saltine crackers
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds (85% lean) ground beef
​1/2 cup ketchup
1 pound small sweet potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Crush saltines.  

Combine parmesan, eggs, milk, soy, thyme, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper, beef and crumbs.  

Mix with hands.  ​Transfer mixture to greased, foil lined baking sheet. Shape into 9x5" rectangle.

Brush top and sides of meatloaf with ketchup.  

Toss potatoes, 2 T. oil, 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper together.  

Place potatoes on sheet, cut around meatloaf. 

Bake 40-45 minutes at 400 or until temperature registers 160.

Transfer meat to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.  

Stir parsley, lemon zest, potatoes and 1 T. oil together.  

Serve meatloaf with potatoes.  

Slice meatloaf. 

This recipe was approved by my youngest child AND my husband.  If you know then at all, you know that they are both die hard carnivores.  I've made them a lot of different kinds of meat loaf and they both gave this one top points.  Oh, and if you're feeling really inspired - make 2 and put one in the freezer for another day.  

​Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe